1917 Locomobile Model 48 Gunboat Cabriolet

The Locomobile Company of Bridgeport, Connecticut, built some of the finest automobiles during the first part of the twentieth century. Unlike most companies that built cars in all price ranges, the Locomobile Company produced only high-priced luxury cars. Interestingly, the company garnered much of its earliest publicity from racing. In 1908, a specially built racecar, which would become known as Old 16, was the first American racecar to win the prestigious Vanderbilt Cup Race.

The earliest Locomobiles were powered by two and four-cylinder engines. In 1912, a new model, the Model 48, was introduced, with a large, six-cylinder engine. The engine was built with a bronze crankcase on which three 2-cylinder engine blocks would be mounted. Locomobile continued building the Model 48 until 1926 with very few changes.

While most Locomobiles were touring cars and limousines, a few Locomobiles were fitted with sportier roadster and speedster bodies. This example, called the Gunboat Roadster, has a body built by the Healey Company. It is the only known example in existence.